The present invention relates to the field of printers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a two-part spindle mechanism for a paper bucket of a printer that uses rolls of paper.
Printers that print from paper rolls are widely used in various locations, including at the point of sale in retail establishments, in kiosks such as ATM and ticket machines, in lottery machines, and anywhere the printing of labels is required, such as in the food preparation area of fast food restaurants or the like. Such printers include label printers, ticket printers, receipt printers, and the like (collectively referred to herein as “label and receipt printers”).
Prior art roll printers typically employ either a paper bucket without any spindle support for the paper roll, where the paper roll rides on the bottom of the paper bucket, or a removable spindle that spans across the paper bucket. If no spindle support is provided, unnecessary drag on the paper roll is created, resulting in increased potential for paper jams or rips, and requiring a more robust paper drive mechanism. Paper buckets utilizing a spindle that spans the paper bucket are difficult to use as the spindle must be at least partially removed for paper loading, and are not easily adjustable to different paper widths.
It would be advantageous to provide a paper bucket that enables easy paper roll loading and removal, including drop-in or push-in paper loading. It would also be advantageous to provide a paper bucket that can accommodate large paper rolls without excess drag. It would be further advantageous to provide a paper bucket that is easily adjustable to accommodate paper rolls of varying widths.
The apparatus and methods of the present invention provide the foregoing and other advantages.